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Special Education
The Special Programs Department at Gatesville ISD is committed to providing appropriate, individualized learning services for students with disabilities. GISD provides eligible students with disabilities a continuum of services to meet the unique needs of each student. Specialized learning and related services are specially designed instructional services that enable students with disabilities to make progress in the general curriculum, to participate in extracurricular and nonacademic activities, and to be educated and participate with disabled and typically developing peers in the public school system. Specialized Learning services are provided at no cost to parents whose student qualifies. Students who qualify for specialized learning services have an educational need that will often require support that goes beyond what is normally received in the regular school and classroom setting. These services are determined by the Individualized Education Program (IEP) team and are available in many different instructional settings.
Services may include:
- Consultative or direct support from specialized learning staff within the general education classroom
- Direct instruction in a small group setting to reinforce instruction given in the general education classroom
- Pull-out services for specific subject areas
GISD also provides support in communication skills, vocational skills, and behavior interventions, and related services like occupational therapy, physical therapy, counseling services, and adapted physical education for students meeting the eligibility criteria for these specific interventions.
To qualify for Special Programs, students must be evaluated in accordance with Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004. For more information on the Special Programs Department please call (254) 865-7251 once the automated message comes on press 8 to be transferred to the Special Programs Department.
Additional Information
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Evaluation
Students who are initially referred to Special Education are assessed to determine if they are eligible for services. If the student meets eligibility, then he/she are re-evaluated every three years after placement in special education. The Full Individual Evaluation (FIE) includes information in the following areas:
- Health (including vision, hearing, and motor skills)
- Language Skills
- Sociological Status
- Emotional/Behavioral Status
- Intellectual Ability and Adapative Behavior
- Academic Performance
- Assistive Technology needs
If a specific disability is noted in the evaluation, an eligibility report completed. The assessment will also note the legal requirements for the evaluation to apply to that disability. The testing also provides information about the student’s present levels of academic and functional performance (PLAAFP). The Admission, Review, and Dismissal committee (ARDC) will use this information to develop and Individual Education Plan, that is specific to the student. The evaluation will also include recommended accommodations/modifications for general education classes and for special education and/or other settings.
Child Find
The purpose of Child Find is to locate, identify and evaluate children from birth to 21 years of age and their possible need for special education and related services. Child Find is a free referral and information service available through local education agencies and ESC Region 12 Service Center.
Every child learns at different rates, but some children have significant struggles. GISD is her to help you access services, to help meet their unique learning needs. Please call (254)865-7251, if you are having any concerns in these areas.
Referral Process
Examples of places a referral could begin:
- Parents
- Preschool Teachers/Directors
- Physicians
- Outside agencies/therapists/ECI
Who is Eligible?
There is a two-part test for determining whether your child is eligible for special education services: (1) your child must have a disability (2) as a result of the disability, your child must need special education services to benefit from education.
- Speech/language Impairment
- Other Health Impairment
- Deaf-Blind
- Visual Impairment
- Traumatic Brain Injury
- Multiple Impairments
- Hearing Impairments
- Orthopedic Impairment
- Autism
- Intellectual Disability
- Emotional Disability
- Specific Learning Disability
- Non-Categorical Early Childhood (NCEC). It is for students aged 3-5 who have general delays in their physical, cognitive, communication, social, emotional, or adaptive development; and who, because of these delays, need special education and related services. Assessment personnel can make NCEC determinations in the following areas: Autism, Intellectual Disability, Emotional Disturbance, and Learning Disability. By age 6, a child must be evaluated to determine the disability criteria. Children who have visual and auditory impairments, can have services that begin at birth.
Things to consider:
- The child must have an educational need for services
- Does the disability affect his/her participation in age-appropriate activities
- Recommendation for services always follows evaluation
- Child Find is part of child’s free appropriate public education (FAPE)
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Transition and Employment
The goal of transition planning and services is to graduate students that can move on and have a viable and meaningful life regardless of disability. Our vision is to work with the student, family and staff to develop a plan that transitions successfully. Students need to develop skills for their futures, that is not just academic, but functional as well.
It’s important that as soon as your child has been identified, that as a parent you start looking at what you want for them as they grow and develop. A parent can help carry out this vision by being interactive with the ARD committee and speaking to the specialized development of their student’s education/transition plan.
As student reach Junior High, assessments can be used to help plan with student transition. These transition plans can be used in high school vocational classes and through their individualized learning plans to start focusing on employment skills. As a student progresses through our transition system, the data may show a need for additional transition services via our 18 program.
Parent Resources:
- Parent Companion
- Texas Project First
- Texas Job Fairs
- Temple, TX Hiring Events
- College Score Card
- Transition and Employment Guide
Current Student Opportunities:
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The Special Education Information Center (SPEDTex) provides resources and interactive features for increasing family awareness of disabilities and special education processes, with the goal of improving partnerships between schools and families.
Contact information:
Phone: 1-855-773-3839
Email: inquire@spedtex.org
Visit our website for more information
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This notification is to inform parents/guardians/adult students of the intent to destroy Special Education records which have been collected by Gatesville Independent School District; related to the identification, evaluation, educational placement, or the provision of Special Programs in the district. This information includes referral data, notice/consent documents, assessment reports with supporting data, ARD committee deliberations, and IEP documents.
Records must be maintained for 5 years under state and federal laws. After five years of cessation of services they can be destroyed. Cessation of services results when a student graduates, is dismissed from Special Education Services, moves out of district, drops out of school, or completes the educational program by aging out at 22.
Records that will be destroyed are for Special Education students whose services ceased in the 2018-2019 school year.
Parents/guardians of these students or the adult student (aged 18 or over) may contact the Special Programs Department by phone, email or by sending in a written request to Gatesville Independent School District Attention: Special Programs before Dec. 1, 2024, should they wish to obtain the record being destroyed. These records may be needed in the future for Social Security benefits or other purposes.
Gatesville ISD Special Programs Department Address 311 S. Lovers Ln., Gatesville, TX 76528 Phone
Number: 254-865-7264 EXT 7016
Director: Rebecca Weatherford
Updated July 29, 2024